The more wide-reaching part of Joe Biden’s executive order concerns the way the drug is regulated. Reclassifying cannabis could have massive implications for America’s budding pot industry
N OCTOBER 6TH President Joe Biden made good on a campaign promise to pardon people convicted of marijuana possession by the federal government. The move was part of a broader executive order directing his administration to review the way that the drug is classified, and therefore regulated. It was cheered by those who see such convictions as a shameful legacy of the war on drugs, and out of step with a country where 37 states have legalised medical or.
The moral panics over cannabis that gripped America at various points in the 20th century seem quaint today, as pot shops pop up around the country. But Mr Biden’s decision is more a symbol of the administration’s commitment to decriminalising cannabis use than a sweeping policy change. Relatively few people are convicted of marijuana possession under federal law.
The wonkier, but perhaps more wide-reaching, part of Mr Biden’s executive order concerns the way cannabis is regulated. The Controlled Substances Act of 1970 categorised drugs into different “schedules” based on their medical use and potential for abuse. The scale goes from Schedule I drugs, such as heroin, to Schedule V, which includes some pain relievers and cough medicines.
Rescheduling, or unscheduling, cannabis could have massive implications for America’s pot industry. Medical marijuana currently exists in a grey space. It is legal in most states but not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration because, officially, it has no medical use. That may change if the drug is rescheduled, subjecting the industry to a mountain of rules it has so far avoided.
Because FDA oversight could blunt their budding industry, businesses may hope that cannabis is unscheduled altogether, paving the way for widespread recreational use. But treating cannabis like alcohol or cigarettes may be a step too far for the Biden administration. The president favours decriminalising the use of the drug over legalising the entire industry.
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